Cindy and Pat Sheehan along with myself "Auntie", Jane and Jim Bright, Celeste Zappala, Bill Mitchell, Lila Lipscomb and Sue Neiderer have formed Gold Star Families for Peace Our group is open to any family member who have suffered the loss of a loved one in a war. Our goal is to assist those families in whatever way possible.GSFP is an affiliate of Military Families Speak Out For more information about GSFP visit our website at:www.gsfp.org

AN OPEN LETTER TO GEORGE BUSH

November 4, 2004

Dear George,

You don’t mind if I call you George do you? When you sent me a letter offering your condolences on the death of my son, Spc. Casey Austin Sheehan, in the illegal and unjust war on Iraq, you called me Cindy, so I naturally assume we are on a first name basis.

George, it has been seven months today since your reckless and wanton foreign policies killed my son, my big boy, my hero, my best-friend: Casey. It has been seven months since your ignorant and arrogant lack of planning for the peace murdered my oldest child. It has been two days since your dishonest campaign stole another election…but you all were way more subtle this time than in 2000, weren’t you? You hardly had to get the Supreme Court of the United States involved at all this week.

You feel so proud of yourself for betraying the country again, don’t you? You think you are very clever because you pulled the wool over the eyes of some of the people again. You think that you have some mandate from God…that you can “spend your political capital” any way that you want. George you don’t care or even realize that 56,000,000 plus citizens of this country voted against you and your agenda. Still, you are going to continue your ruthless work of being a divider and not a uniter. George, in 2000 when you stole that election and the Democrats gave up, I gave up too. I had the most ironic thought of my life then: "Oh well, how much damage can he do in four years?" Well, now I know how much you have damaged my family, this country, and this world. If you think I am going to allow you another four years to do even more damage, then you truly are mistaken. I will fight for a true vote count and if that fails, your impeachment. Also, the impeachment of your Vice President. The only thing is, I'm not politically savvy, and I don't have a Karl Rove to plan my strategy, but I do have a big mouth and a righteous cause, which still mean something in this country, I hope.

All of this lying, fooling, and betraying must be “hard work” George. You really think you know what hard work is?

George, let me tell you what “hard work” really is.

Hard work is seeing your oldest son, your brave and honorable man-child go off to a war that had, and still has, no basis in reality. Hard work is worrying yourself gray and not being able to sleep for 2 weeks because you don’t know if your child is safe.

Hard work is seeing your son’s murder on CNN one Sunday evening while you’re enjoying the last supper you’ll ever truly enjoy again.

Hard work is having three military officers come to your house a few hours later to confirm the aforementioned murder of your son…your first born…your kind and gentle sweet baby.

Hard work is burying your child 46 days before his 25th birthday. Hard work is holding your other three children as they lower the body of their big “baba” into the ground. Hard work is not jumping in the grave with him and having the earth cover you both.

But, Dear George, do you know what the hardest work of all is? Trying to digest the fact that the leader of the country that your family has fought for and died for, for generations, lied to you and betrayed your dear boy’s sense of honor and exploited his courage and exploited his loyalty to his buddies. Hard work is having your country abandon you after they killed your son. Hard work is coming to the realization that your son had his future robbed from him and that you have had your son's future and future grand-children stolen from you. Hard work is knowing that there are so many people in this world that have prospered handsomely from your son's death.

George, I must confess that I and my family worked very HARD to re-defeat you this time, but you refuse to stay defeated. Well, we are watching you very carefully. We are going to do everything in our power to have you impeached for misleading the American people into a disastrous war and for mis-using and abusing your power as Commander-in-Chief. We are going to scream until our last breath to bring the rest of our babies home from this quagmire of a war that you have gotten our country in to: before too many more families learn the true meaning of Hard Work. We know it is going to be an uphill battle, knowing how Republican Congress is, but thanks to you, we know the meaning of Hard Work and we’re not afraid of hard work at all.

The 56,000,000 plus citizens who voted against you and your agenda have given me a mandate to move forward with my agenda. Also, thanks to you and your careless domestic policies, I am unemployed, so this will be my full-time job. Being your political downfall will be the most noble accomplishment of my life and it will bring justice for my son and 1125 (so far) other brave Americans and tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis your lies have killed. By the way, George, how many more innocent Iraqis are your policies going to kill before you convince them that you are better than Saddam? How many more of their cities are you going to level before you consider that they are liberated? If you really had any moral values, or if you were an honorable man at all you would resign. My son was a man who had high moral values and true courage. Humanity lost a bright light on April 04, 2004. I will live the rest of my life missing Casey desperately. Thank you for that, George. Have a nice day.

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth
and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall - think of it, always."

*CARLY'S POEM*
A Nation Rocked to sleepHave you ever heard the sound of a mother screaming for her son?
The torrential rains of a mother's weeping will never be done
They call him a hero, you should be glad that he's one, but
Have you ever heard the sound of a mother screaming for her son?

Have you ever heard the sound of a father holding back his cries?
He must be brave because his boy died for another man's lies
The only grief he allows himself are long, deep sighs
Have you ever heard the sound of a father holding back his cries?

Have you ever heard the sound of taps played at your brother's grave?
They say that he died so that the flag will continue to wave
But I believe he died because they had oil to save
Have you ever heard the sound of taps played at your brother's grave?

Have you ever heard the sound of a nation being rocked to sleep?
The leaders want to keep you numb so the pain won't be so deep
But if we the people let them continue another mother will weep
Have you ever heard the sound of a nation being rocked to sleep?
Read more Poems submitted by Military Families

*PEACE MARCH TO THE WHITE HOUSE*
October 2 2004

On saturday 10/02 we Marched in DC as members of Military Families Speak Out. Cindy, Carly, Janey and myself, along with family friends Sabrina and Janae attended. The march began with a rally at the Womens Monument in Arlington National Cemetery. We helped to build the mock coffins. Carly, Janey, Sabrina and Janae helped to carry the coffins from Arlington to the White house. The rally at the park in front of the White House was very emotional. Among the speakers were Arum Gandhi who is the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and Michael Berg, the father of Nicholas Berg who was beheaded in Iraq in April. Also speaking were MFSO members Celeste Zappala who lost her son Sherwood Baker on 4/26/04, Elaine Johnson whose son Darius Jennings was killed in Iraq on 11/02/03 and Lila Lipscomb who lost her son Michael Pederson in Iraq on 4/02/03. Lila was the mother featured in Michael Moore's Farenheit 9/11.
At the conclusion of the speeches an attempt was made to deliver a box with the names of the Fallen soldiers to the White House. A barrier had been erected that morning and approximately 100 guards were lining the barrier and 10 mounted guards were in place behind them. It was respectfully requested of the authorities that they let us pass and deliver the names. A brave group of 28 crossed the barrier and were arrested. Among those arrested were Bill Mitchell who lost his son Michael Mitchell in Iraq on 04/04/04 and Michael Berg whose son Nicholas Berg was beheaded in Iraq on 04/07/04.
Photos from the March

*REAL VOICES KICKOFF*
07/31/04

The official kickoff for the Real Voices campaign was Saturday July 31st at a backyard garden party.
Speaking at the event along with Carly and Cindy were Jim and Jane Bright whose son Evan Ashcraft was killed in Mosul on July 24th 2003 and Raphael Zappala whose brother Sherwood Baker was killed on April 26th 2004 in Baghdad.
Real Voices has been taping Radio and Television spots featuring families who have lost loved ones in the "war on terror". Carly,Cindy,Jane and Raphael have all participated in the project. Also participating is Sue Niederer who lost her son Seth Dvorin on February 3 2004 in Iraq. The spots will air in swing states initially.
Real Voices is a non-profit organization that spends 100% of its donations on effective political action. They advocate the election of John Kerry but are not affiliated with his campaign.
Photos

Members of Military families Speak Out were invited by the Unitarian Universalists Church in Berkeley California.
Jane Bright along with her Husband Jim Bright accepted the invitation, Cindy and Bill Mitchell attended as moral support for Jane.
Jane’s son Army Sgt. Evan Asa Ashcraft was Killed north of Al Hawd, Iraq, when his military convoy came under enemy fire. Evan was assigned to the Company A, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Died on July 24, 2003.Evan Ashcraft Memorial Scholarship FundBill’s son Army Sgt. Michael Mitchell died in Baghdad, Iraq, when his unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Ray Barracks, Friedberg, Germany. Died on April 4, 2004. Michael lost his life in the same ambush as Casey.
Photos from Event

Our family has been in contact with the soldiers pictured. I wish every cross at the memorial had a face to it. People need to really realize that the death toll is more than a number. Each cross represents a Fallen Hero from the war in Iraq. Each cross represents a family devastated. Today at the memorial I heard one of the volunteers tell a visitor to the memorial that there were more dead soldiers than the 880 crosses they had put up...they ran out of crosses......
Photos

Purpose: The Casey Austin Sheehan Memorial Award was created to honor the memory of Casey Austin Sheehan, first Senior Patrol Leader of Troop 180 and the second Troop 180 member to achieve the Rank of Eagle. Casey lost his life April 4, 2004, in Baghdad Iraq, defending our country.

The Honoree: This award is to be given annually to the Troop 180 scout best exemplifying the standards Casey set for himself, Troop 180, and our country during his brief but bright time on this Earth.

Congratulations to this years Recipient:
Bryan Seward
Click on Picture to view more Photos from the Ceremony

The counter below reflects the monetary cost of this war. Compared to the cost of lives this counter seems insignificant, but maybe a wake up call to some peoples wallets is what it will take to get some to understand that this war is JUST NOT WORTH THE COST.